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Offline Mman  
#1 Posted : 10 September 2021 16:05:07(UTC)
Mman

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/05/2021(UTC)
Posts: 247
Location: England, Guildford
Trivial compared with someone’s magnet disintegrating but just noticed on ebay a mini-club steam engine (88921) in a wooden box where the black foam that locates and protects it has disintegrated. I have a blue class 10 steamer where this has happened with the foam, in fact it has gone sticky. I have some other locos which came in these wooden boxes with the foam still perfectly intact. So far!
So, in practice the wooden boxes may be offering less protection than the standard blow moulded cradles in the conventional card boxes.
Is this a widespread problem with Märklin packaging?
In the past I experienced this with the foam light traps on Contax camera bodies - to my cost - but can’t think of any other cases of foam degradation.
ChrisG
Offline Zme  
#2 Posted : 10 September 2021 16:34:46(UTC)
Zme

United States   
Joined: 02/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 760
Location: West Texas
Hello. Hope all is well.

I have a few similar storage boxes, but have not noticed a problem yet.

I am certain this is related to the environment and age of this material. I do have a few non-train items which shows signs of this, but they are nearly 40 years old. I would not think new material would do this, but maybe newer materials are designed to breakdown quicker to be more environmentally friendly.

Thanks for the heads up, I will keep an eye on this.

Take good care.

Dwight
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#3 Posted : 10 September 2021 17:55:38(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: Mman Go to Quoted Post

Is this a widespread problem with Märklin packaging?


There was a thread within the last year IIRC where it was mentioned this has been happening with the foam in Big Boy packaging.

But it is a well known problem with foam. That is part of the reason it is almost impossible to find any of the sound deadening foam strip that Marklin used ot provide for M-Track - it has all disintegrated.

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Zme
Offline parakiet  
#4 Posted : 11 September 2021 10:13:11(UTC)
parakiet

Belgium   
Joined: 20/02/2017(UTC)
Posts: 280
Location: Flanders!
Is this a problem after 10, 20 or 30 years?
Perhaps I should start removing some foam...
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Zme
Offline Zme  
#5 Posted : 12 September 2021 04:28:48(UTC)
Zme

United States   
Joined: 02/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 760
Location: West Texas
Hi.

I will keep an eye on my foam, and remove it when it shows sign of deterioration.

Do you think a custom made protection layer could be created from something and lined with a soft cloth? Have to think about this problem while there’s time.

Do you think the foam breakdown would create a toxic environment for items we are trying to protect? Maybe.

Thanks, take good care.

Dwight
Offline Poor Skeleton  
#6 Posted : 12 September 2021 11:25:58(UTC)
Poor Skeleton

United Kingdom   
Joined: 09/10/2015(UTC)
Posts: 550
Location: England, Cambridge
Originally Posted by: Zme Go to Quoted Post

Do you think the foam breakdown would create a toxic environment for items we are trying to protect?


I guess this is a question for Chris G - has his sticky foam affected the locomotive?

The only locos I have in the wooden box are a pair of 88780s (because you have to have two, right?) and these come with a piece of plastic film between the loco and the foam, though I suspect this is more to aid getting the loco out of the box.

Cheers


Chris
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Zme
Offline Mman  
#7 Posted : 12 September 2021 11:36:56(UTC)
Mman

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/05/2021(UTC)
Posts: 247
Location: England, Guildford
Fortunately Chris it had only got on the wheels and was easy to remove so I don’t know what the effect on painted parts or bare plastic would be. I have seen the results of interaction between different plastics and it results in write offs so the possibilities are worrying!
Perhaps nice velvet lined boxes would be better. 😄
ChrisG
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Zme
Offline JohnjeanB  
#8 Posted : 12 September 2021 14:14:10(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,084
Location: Paris, France
Hi Chris

I had this exact phenomenon on my HO Big Boy 37990 (first release in 2001 in a very nice wooden box but with a black soft foam which has become sticky
37990_IMG_4815.JPG
There was another mishaps with Märklin loco boxes: the 3309 (BR 85) was packed with a first generation of transparent plastic packing and the plastic completely disintegrated. To be fair, most of Märklin boxes are very good.
Cheers
Jean
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Zme
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